Earth mover



May 18, 1943 a w. AUSTIN EARTH uovna briginal Filed Nov. 1, 1937 4 shets-sneet 1 INVENT-OR ATT RNEY EARTH movER Original Filed Nov 1, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTQR May 18, 1943 EARTH iovnn Original Filed Nov. 1, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v V INVENTOR [/l5wor/fi MAL/519m ATTO RN EY E. w. AUSTIN 2,319,486

Patented May 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v EARTH MOVEB Ellsworth W. Austin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to La Plant-Choate Mfg. Co., Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Original application November 1, 1931, Serial No. 172,094. Divided and this application October '10, 1941, Serial No. 414,415

6 Claims. (01. 37-126) My. invention relates to means intended to be utilized in gathering, conveying and discharging material such as earth, when propelled by a tractor or other suitable draft implement. De-

. vices of this general character are disclosed in my Patents 2,203,713 and 2,204,033, which issued on June 11, 1940. This application is also a division of my application entitled Earth mover .filed November 1,1937, under Serial No. 172,094,

now Patent No. 2,273,010. The present subject Fig. 10 is a schematic piping diagram of the hydraulic circuits used in my earth mover.

matter is especially concerned with means operable on a draft vehicle such as a tractor for controlling various operating instrumentalities on ,A further object of my invention is to provide a controlling instrumentality which is well adapted for use in any articulated vehicle.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in whicha r Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing portions of the draft vehicle and of the drawn vehicle, and especially showing the arrangement of the remotely operated hydraulic valve control.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an earth mover constructed in accordance with my invention, especially disclosing the hydraulic mechanism. but some of the hydraulic connections and other portions being omitted to increase the clarity of the disclosure.

Fig. 31s a bottom plan view of a hydraulic valve arrangement, a portion being broken away to show the valve actuator in cross-section.

, Fig. 4 is a cross-section the plane'of which is indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section the planes of which are indicated by the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a developed cross-section the planes which are indicated by the lines 6a--b-c --d- I e--fq-ba of Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a hydraulic valve in an intermediate position.

Fig ii is a diagrammatic cross-section of a hydraulic valve in one extreme position.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a hydraulic valve in another extreme position.'

-.In its preferred form, the earth mover of my invention includes a draft vehicle and a drawn vehicle which are articulated for relative movement. On the drawn vehicle is provided a plurality of hydraulic instrumentalities and control valves. These are arranged tobe operated by controllers on the draft vehicle through intermediate connections and are supplied with hydraulic fluid under pressure from the draft vehicle.

While the earth mover of my invention can be embodied in a number ofdifierent ways,'it is 11- lustrated herein as it has taken a successful form which includes a draft vehicle, generally designated 6, such as a tractor, preferably one of, a type having track laying tracks I. On'the tractor is a suitable source of power. such as an engine (not shown) contained within the tractor hood 8 and controlled by an operator who normally occupies an operating station 9 on the draft vehicle. This machine is connected in any suitable way, for example by a draw-bar ii consti tuting a suitable articulation, to a drawn vehicle, generally designated l2, which includes a front steering wheel truck l3 connected to a front frame portion Hi. The rear frame portion I6 is pivoted by a pin? I'I to the front frame portion and is also supported from the ground by rear ground-engaging wheels I8. Supportedby the frame portions l4 and I6 is an earth carrying bowl l9 having an excavating edge or cutting edge 2| in the customary fashion. In order to raise" and lower the cutting edge 2|, the frame portions l4 and I6 are moved by an expansible chamber mechanism including a cylinder 22 connected by pivots 23 to a, central bracket 24 upfront apron a pair of expansible chamber mechanisms 32 areat one end connected by pins 33 to a bracket 84 upstanding from the side wall of the mainbowl l2. Within the chamber or cylinder 32 is disposed a piston having a piston rod 36 connected. by apivot 31 to a bell crank arm 38 merging with the arm 29. The expansible chambers 32 are connected, preferably in parallel, and

are another instrumentality controlled hydraulically by the operator on the draft vehicle 6.

To eject material from the main bowl I2 a rear pusher wall 4| .is provided and is designed to be advanced on tracks 43 at either side of the main bowl. An expansible chamber mechanism 42 extending centrally and rearwardly from the pusher but mounted on extensions 44 of the main frame is provided. The chamber 42 contains a plunger 46 freely slidable therein and connected to the pusher 4! so that the chamber is another of the hydraulically expansible mechanisms which is under the control of an operator in the station 9.

The hydraulic system for effecting the movement of the various instrumentalities of the earth.

mover under control of the operator is preferably worked with an hydraulic fluid such as oil, a supply of which is contained in a reservoir or tank I5I suitably located for replenishment from time to time through an atmospheric vent and flller cap I52. A conduit I53 leads from the tank through a check valve I54 to the inlet I56 of a positive pressure pump I51, preferably a meshing gear pump suitably driven by the engine of the tractor 6. As the pump rotates, it withdraws hydraulic fluid through the conduit I53 and ex'pels it at an elevated pressure into a conduit I58. The amount of pressure is indicated by a gauge I59 appropriately located for easy perusal by the operator at the station 9. A set or definite pressure is maintained in the discharge conduit I58 by the provision of a relief valve I 6I in a bypass conduit I62 which leads from the discharge conduit I58 back to the tank I5I. The

relief valve I6I can be set at any selected prestity of working fluid, and for that reason connect to the bypass conduit I62 one or more reservoirs I63 and I64. These are tanks able to withstand high pressure and are connected by conduits I66 and I61, respectively, to the by-pass pipe I62. When the pressure in the system in. general is ,below the maximum set by the valve I6I, the

pump discharges either into the actuating cylinders or into the storage tanks I63 and I64. These tanks I63 and I64 are not at any time entirely filled with hydraulic fluid, but are so located that an air cushion exists in the upper portion thereof ders, such as the chamber 42, has its own controlling valve, and since all of the valves are identical they are described primarily in connection with Figs. '7, 8 and 9 wherein their fundamental characteristics are diagrammatically illustrated. For example, the pressure conduit I58 leads to an inlet port or groove I68 in a valve body I69. Adapted to move axially or to reciprocate within the body I69 is a valve bobbin I12 of generally cylindrical configuration and having a contour to afford communication between different parts of the hydraulic system for different positions of the .valve.

For example, the valve in Fig. 7 is in such a position that pressure fluid from the port I68 flows around the reduced portion I13 of the valve which acts as a cushion or spring to maintain the requisite pressure upon the working fluid. When the pressure in the system' arrives at the set maximum amount, further discharge by the pump I51 is returned to the tank I M, while when a relatively heavy demand for operating fluid.

comes upon the system, the tanks I63 and I64 are partially discharged to augment the discharge capacity of the pump I51.

From the discharge conduit I59 the pressure working fluid is led to a series of valves which are utilized for thecontrol of the hydraulic cylinders, and in order to simplify the disclosure the bobbin but is restrained from further flow within the bore by lands I14 and I16. The fluid flows radially through passages I11 into a central bore I18 piercing the valve bobbin and extending for a portion .of its length, being closed offat its end by a'plug I19. Pressure fluid flowing through the passage I18 leaves through radial openings I8I between lands I82 and I83. The fluid then flows into an annular port or groove I84 in the body I69, from which it leaves through a conduit I86, to re-enter the inlet conduit I53 for recirculation by the pump I51. There is thus maintained a continual flow of fluid through the valve bobbin I16 when it is in the neutral position shown in Fig. 7. Since all of the bobbins are identical there is a free circulation of working fluid through all of them in series, as shown in Fig. 10, in a closed circuit including the pressure pump I51. This is beneficial in keeping the system free of air or developed gas and insures that hydraulic fluid is instantly available in all of the hydraulic conduits.

When the valve bobbin I12 is axially translated into an actuating position, as shown in Fig. 8 for example, the pressure fluid which normally enters near the port I68 and which previously has been flowing through the internal passage I18 is precluded longer from flowing therethrough since the opening IBI is no longer in registry with the port I 84 but rather is in registry with the inner cylindrical wall I of the body I69. With the displacement of the valve bobbin, the land I14 has been moved to uncover an annular port I 81in the body I69, which receives the entire inflow from the conduit I68 and directs its into one end of the hydraulic chamber controlled by the valve.

The addition of fluid to one end of the chamber displaces the double-acting piston therein, so that fluid from the other end of the chamber on the other side of the piston is displaced and flows back to the body I69 through a port I88 which is annular in configuration and which is uncovered by the land I16 in the displaced position of the valve. The fluid passing through the port I86 flows along the reduced portion valves are illustrated diagrammatically in-Figs. V

'l to 10 inclusive. Each of the actuating cylin- I89 of the bobbin I12 and enters an annular port I SI which is connected with a discharge conduit I92 leading back to the reservoir I5I.

Fluid which is released from the actuated cylinder-is not returned to the pump I51 directly, but rather is returned to the reservoir IN. The discharge line I92 has therefore very low frictional characteristics, so that discharge of fluid from an actuated cylinder, takes place very rapidly.

A displacement of the bobbin I12 in an o'pposite direction from the neutral position is illustrated in Fig. 9 wherein the land I14, instead .a position above that port. working fluid entering through the port I68 and in a unit.

of being moved below the port I81, is moved to In this position,

passing around the bobbin to enter the internal passage "8 through the opening I11 is prevented from escaping from such passage since the opening I8I is in'registry with the interior cylindrical surface of the bore I1I.

and thence around a reduced portion I88 of the valve bobbin to the discharge pipe I82 and back to the reservoir I8I.

suspended on the cable I88.

By suitably displacing the valve bobbin I12 in either direction from neutral position, the operator can control the flow of hydraulic fluid in such a manner as to cause a corresponding displacement of the piston within the connected an appropriate movement of the connected instrumentalltyof the earth mover. There is a continuous flow through the valve unit when the valve bobbin is in neutral-position, in order to maintain the lines free of air and in quick-oper- .center of such bobbin, discharging from the opening I84 and instead of going directly back to the reservoir" I8I, rather flows through a transfer passage I84 to enter the port I88 of the next valve. The oil'flows through the hollow center of such valve and discharges from its corresponding port I84 through another transfer passage I86 to the port I68 on the third valve, flowing then through its hollow center and leaving the third valve port I84 and passing through the return line I86 to the pump I61. -As soon,

however, as one of the bobbins is displaced, this serial circulatory flow is interrupted and the operation of each individual valve is as described in connection with Figs. '7, 8 and 9.

While this general arrangement isreadily applicable to the operation of any number of cylinders toibe actuated, in its present installation there .are three major instrumenta ities to be moved, one of which is provided with a pair of cylinders, hence three valves are utilized, grouped hydraulic actuating chamberand thus produce Since the three controlling valve are all alike. 9. description of one will suffice. Any number of valves can be provided, depending upon the number of instrumentalities to be controlled. The flexible shaft 20! (Fig. 3) extends to a rotatable screw 206 which revolves within an anti-friction bearing 201, held in place against axial movement in the housing I88 by thefltting 208. The fitting 204 can be removed for removal of the screw and disconnection of the shaft 20I therefrom. The threaded portion 208 of the screw is in engagement with a hollow nut 208, one end of whichis fastened by a pin2II to a valve bobbin I12 as previously described. The hollow nut on its exterior surface is provided with a plurality of longitudinal splines 2I2 operating in mating .splines 2I3 within the body I68 to preclude any rotation of the nut or valve bobbin butto permit free axial movement thereof. Thus. as the shaft 20I and the screw 208 are rotated, a corresponding axial translation i imparted to the valve bobbin.

The valve bobbin-is urged toward its neutral or central position, and oilleakage i largely precluded, by a double-acting spring-pressed pack- I ing, generally designated 2, which includes a cup leather 2I6 in, engagement with the interior bore of the housing I68 and urged against a thrust washer 2I1 abutting a light ledge 2I8 in the housing by a coil'spring 2I8. The other end of the coil spring abuts a circurnferentially flanged and pierced cup 22I which in One position is in abutment with the valve bobbin I12 and also with the end of the valve cylinder body I68. When the valve is in neutral position, the spring 2I8 urges the thrust washer 2I1 against an enlargement on the hollow nut 208 and against the shoulder 2I8. Likewise, it forces the cup 22l' against the end of the body I68 and against the end of the bobbin I12. If the bobbin moves to the rightin Fig. 3. for example, the spring 2I8 is compressed, while if the bobbin is moved to the left in Fig. 3 the thrust washer 2" is likewise moved to the left and compresses the spring 2 I8. Thus the bobbin is yieldingly urged'into its neutral or median position. At thesame time the cup leather 2I6 is effective to seal against oil leakage. jalthough whatever leakage does take place past the cup leather is useful in lubricating the screw 208. Passages 222 within the The controlling instrumentality for the valve unit includes a casing I88'mounted on a suitable part of thetractor 6- adjacent to and preferably forward of the operator's station 8. The cable I88 extends from a suitable anchorage on the casing I88 to a suitable anchorage .on the valve casing I68 which latter is preferably disposed on the forward portion it of the main frame of the drawn vehicle. The flexible cable I88 thus forms a support and mounting for a plurality of flexible control shafts, collectively designated "I,

eachof which extends from an appropriate connection in the housing I88 to a gear-with which meshes a larger gear operated by a handle 202.

screw 206 permit an equalizing flow of oil and air.

Within the body I68 (Fig. 4) the working fluid pressure conduit IE8 is connected t the inlet passage I68 which is a passage extending to all three of the valve cylinders located in the body I88, and terminates in a port entirely surrounding each of the valve cylinders Hi. In the neutral position of the valve shown in Fig. 4, the fluid which flows into the port I88 surrounding the valve passes into the interior channel I18 through ports I11, discharges therefrom through ports III into the annular port I84 which is in communication with and substantially surrounds its respective one of the valve bodies, and in turn merges with the inlet port I88 of the next valve and so on, finally communicating with the duct I88 through which the fluid returns to the inlet of the pump. .When the valve bobbin is displaced to the left, for example, from the position shown in Fig. 4, so that the port I81 leading to one end of the cylinder mechanism is uncovered, then the return flow from such cylinder courses over the end of the bobbin and out through the pierced cup 22I into a central chamber 226 which communicates with all three of the valve mechanisms and likewise communicates with a central passage 22! extending through the casing I69.

At its opposite end the passage 22'! opens into a chamber 228 formed by a closure cap 229 seated upon the casing and likewise communicating with the otherwise open end of each of the three valve bobbin bores, to return any leakage and to equalize the pressure on the bobbin ends. The central passage 221 communicates with the port I9! of each of the three valve cylinders, so that they all finally lead to the conduit I 92 extending back to the fluid reservoir. Thus, when the bobbin is displaced to the left in Fig. 4, flow is from one of the hydraulic chambers through the port I87, around through the pierced cup 22!, thence through the chamber 226 into the central passage 221, from which flow takes place through and around the port IBI into the conduit I92. During this time the pressure fluid from the conduit I53 and the port I68 is flowing around the reduced portion I13 of the bobbin and thence flows into the port I88 (Fig. 8) and into a suitable adapted to rotate faster than said controller for translating said bobbin in accordance with the rotation of said controller.

2. An earth mover comprising a, draft vehicle having an engine thereon, a drawn vehicle having an earth moving instrumcntality thereon, hydraulic means for actuating said instrumentality,

means on said drawn vehicle for storing hydrau-' lic fluid under pressure, means on said draft vehicle driven by said engine for supplying hydrau- -lic fluid under pressure to said storing means,

means including a translatable valve bobbin on said drawn vehicle for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid between said storing means and said actuating-means, a controller on said draft vehicle, and flexible means adapted to rotate faster than said controller for translating said bobbin in acconduit to the other end of the respective hydraulic chamber.

As disclosed diagrammatically in Fig. 10, for example, the left-hand valve I It is connected by a conduit 23I extending from the port I8! to one end of the hydraulic chamber 22, while a conduit 232 extends from the other end of the chamber 42 to the port I88. comparably, a conduit 283 extends from the port I 87 of the middle valve lid to one end of each of the pair of chambers 32, while the branch conduit 234 extend from the other end of each of said pair of chambers 32 to the port I88 of the middle valve I'it. In the same fashion; the conduit 236 extend from the port iEI of the right-hand valve H t of Fig. 10 to one end of the chamber 432, while a conduit 231 extends from the other end of such chamber 42 to the port I88 of the right-hand valve lid.

The hydraulic arrangement is therefore such that it is remotely controlled by the operator of the tractor 6 in such a fashion that each valve is suitably actuated by the operator to provide a corresponding movement of the hydraulic chamher which actuates the earth-moving mechanism and so that the high-pressure working fluid is maintained relatively free of air .or gas and in rapid circulation to produce the desired quick actuation of the moved unit. The various valves operate in series and are normally spring urged into a central position within which free fluid flow takes place. However, actuation of any one of th valves diverts the full fluid flow to the corresponding hydraulically expansible chamber to provide a positive and quick operation of the controlled instrumentality. V

I claim:

1. An earth mover comprising a draft vehicle, a drum vehicle, hydraulically actuated mechanisms on said drawn vehicle, means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said mechanisms, means on said drawn vehicle for controlling said hydraulicfluid including a translatable valve bobbin, a rotatable controller on said draft vehicle, and means cordance with movement of said controller.

. 3. An earth mover comprising a drawn vehicle, a plurality of hydraulic actuators thereon, a valve body on said drawn vehicle, translatable valves in said body for controlling said actuators, a draft vehicle, means on said draft vehicle for supplying said valve body with hydraulic fluid, rotatable means on said draft vehicle for operating said valves, and rotatable, flexible means extending between said draft vehicle and said drawn vehicle and adapted to rotate faster than said rotatable means for transmittin the motion of said operating means to said valves.

4. An earth mover comprising a drawn vehicle, aplurality of hydraulic actuators thereon, a valve body on said'drawn vehicle, valves in said-body adapted to be moved to control said actuators, a draft vehicle, means on said draft vehicle for operating said valves, flexible means extending between said draft vehicle and said drawn vehicle for transmitting the motion of said operating means to said valves, and gearing for multiplying the motion of said transmitting means with respect to said operating means and with respect to said valves.

5. An earth mover comprising a vehicle having a main bowl, a pusher and a front apron, a hydraulic actuator for advancing and retracting the pusher, a second hydraulic actuator for raising and lowering the front apron, a third hydraulic actuator for raisin and lowering the main bowl, a plurality of translatable valves on said vehicle one for each of said actuators, means for normally urging said valves into central position,

and means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said valves in series whereby translation of one of said valves out of central position blocks hydraulic flow to actuators controlled by successive valves.

6. An earth mover comprising a vehicle having valves are in central position, and means incor-J porated in each of said valves for blocking flow to subsequent valves when said valve is out of central position.

ELLSWORTl-I W. AUSTIN. 

